A Cambridgeshire Conservative councillor has called on all candidates to sign a pledge to stop abuse and offensive attacks on others campaigning to win an election.

Cllr Kevin Cuffley who is keen that all candidates sign up to a pledge on how to treat others

Councillor Kevin Cuffley said today it was necessary “to stop all abuse and offensive attacks. Let’s see if other parties will make similar pledge.”

He tweeted a pledge drawn up by South Cambridgeshire Conservatives that includes a promise to “refrain from making abusive or offensive attacks on other candidates in written literature, on social media or verbally”.

The pledge also contains a promise to “campaign in a respectful manner” and to condemn supporters “who engage in intimidatory behaviour”.

Presuming that all colleagues would sign the pledge, Cllr Cuffley tweeted: “Will Labour and Liberals make the same pledge?”

In May the entire South Cambridgeshire District Council is up for election with 26 new ward boundaries. There will be fewer seats than currently – 45 instead of 57.

Cllr Cuffley’s comments – and the South Cambs Tories pledge – will resonate in Fenland, and in particular Wisbech, which has been beset with angry exchanges over social media between Conservative and opposition councillors and supporters.

And more recently the North East Cambs Conservative Association has taken central stage in a growing row over candidate de-selection. Four sitting district councillors have been axed during selection of candidates for the May 2019 election.